The second play test conducted under these restrictions turned out to be the best GD'40 game that I ever been involved in. Now, you have battalions and companies attacking and holding all over the map in non-stop action. Both players constantly keep a wary eye on the VP count, always conscious of the need to contest Stonne at every opportunity. A situation exists where maneuver is the order of the day. Dying to the last step defending a position no longer makes sense. Better to withdraw, regroup, and counterattack when reinforced, at a weak point in the enemy's deployment. Local superiority means everything. The new VP schedule provides a rationale for being in the enemy's "back field." Your forces are not simply roaming around aimlessly. There are crossroads to be captured and held, bypass routes to be secured, Stonne and its dominating position to be held. The better players will have, and implement, a coherent game plan that goes beyond simply forging ahead. By the way, rushing platoons or vehicles late in the game to deny an enemy Stonne, or similar position, is no longer a viable strategy for winning (or avoiding defeat). Players have to do well throughout the entire two-day battle or they face certain defeat. Enjoy. The Schwerpunkt/Shock Group Chit During his Movement Phase if he chooses "Move and Fight" or during his Combat Phase if he chooses "Fight and Move", the phasing player may place his Schwerpunkt/Shock Group Chit on any unit or stack of units in one hex. Each side receives just one chit per segment. (You may use s Hex Control Marker as Schwerpunkt/Shock Group Chit.) The Schwerpunkt/Shock Group Chit allows the unit(s) under it to undertake one additional round of combat or one additional movement after they have completed their "Move and Fight" or "Fight and Move" phase. In addition, the Schwerpunkt Chit allows the Axis player to draw one additional Combat Chit while the Shock Group Chit allows the Soviet player to draw two additional Combat Chits during Combat for the unit(s) below the chit. In effect, this chit increases the Axis Tactical Rating by one and the Soviet by two. This increase is in effect during both combat rounds. Movement and combat costs for units under the chit are free during this extra Combat/Movement Phase and the chit is put away until the next game turn after use. Units may advance after combat, by Random Event etc. into a Schwerpunkt/Shock Group hex up to the standard stacking limit to take advantage of the chit for an extra Movement/ Combat Phase. All units under the chit must either move or fight. If one unit moves then all must move; if one fights then all must take part in combat. Historical Note: The chit represents extra assets, supplies, staffwork or just plain lucky or inspired leadership. Historically the Axis "played their Schwerpunkt Chit" on the southern face of the Barvenkovo salient. The Soviets historically squandered theirs, splitting their assets between the northern and southern Kharkov Shock Groups, but as Timoshenko and Bagramian, you're not going to, right? More Random Events During Combat, when any double is rolled consult the Random Events Table, except: Double one - defender's choice of one event off the table. Double six - attacker's choice of one event off the table. Note: This adds more uncertainty for solitaire play especially as you know both sides strategies. GD'40 Victory Conditions Revisited Back to Table of Contents -- Operations #32 Back to Operations List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master List of Magazines © Copyright 1999 by The Gamers. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com